Jon Jay talks Marlins outfielders, including initial thoughts of Chisholm in center
The Miami Marlins don’t start reporting to spring training until next week, with the first workout for pitchers and catchers set for Feb. 16 and the first full-squad workout in Jupiter on Feb. 21.
But that hasn’t stopped Jon Jay from getting a head start working with his position group. Jay, the Marlins’ first base coach and outfield coach, has been working with three of the team’s primary outfielders — Avisail Garcia, Jorge Soler and Jazz Chisholm Jr. — for the past couple months now in Miami. This has included days at the Marlins’ loanDepot park as well as the fields at Jay’s alma maters, Columbus High and the University of Miami.
Jesus Sanchez and Bryan De La Cruz are in line to factor into the Marlins’ outfield plans in 2023 as well.
“I’ve been going to work with all three of them a lot,” Jay said Monday from inside “La Ventanita” at Versailles as part of a week-long run of Marlins events around South Florida ahead of the team’s fan fest on Saturday at loanDepot park. “It’s been unbelievable. These guys are good guys. They want to get better. They’re not happy with the way things have gone in the past and they want to make a change and they’ve taken ownership of this offseason.”
Garcia and Soler were the Marlins’ splashy offseason signings a year ago. Both struggled to produce and stay on the field in their first season in Miami.
Soler played in just 72 games while dealing with an assortment of back and pelvic injuries. He hit only .207 but had 13 home runs and 13 doubles in just shy of half a season of action. Garcia hit .224 with a .583 on-base-plus-slugging mark in 98 games and missed extended time the second half of the season with hamstring injuries.
As for Chisholm, he is transitioning from middle infield to center field this season — a move that came about after the Marlins signed Jean Segura and traded for Luis Arraez this offseason. While Chisholm has never played in the outfield before, Jay said he is impressed with the initial results and Chisholm’s willingness to make the move.
“It says everything about him,” Jay said. “It says that he wants to win for the team. He could have easily said, ‘No. I’m not moving. I’m staying here.’ Instead, he’s saying ‘Hey, if you need me to go to center field for this team to make the playoffs and do what it needs to do,’ I think it says everything you need to know about him.”
To Jay, the biggest adjustment Chisholm will have to make is learning the “little intricacies” of the position.
“He’s the captain of the outfield out there,” Jay said. “That’s just going to be something that it’s going to come naturally to him. He’s been great. I tell him something. We talk about it and right away he does it. He makes adjustments at an incredible rate. It really has me super excited to see what he’s gonna do out there this year.”
But Jay’s time with the outfielders this offseason is extending beyond the field. He is taking Chisholm, Garcia and Soler to the No. 19 Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team’s game against Duke.
“They’re Hurricane fans already for sure,” Jay said with a smile.
Marlins events
Jay’s appearance at Versailles was one of about a dozen events the Marlins are holding with players, coaches and alumni throughout the week as they prepare for Fan Fest on Saturday.
On Saturday, Soler was at the Opening Day ceremony for the Howard Palmetto Little League at Coral Reef Park. Alumni Antonio Alfonseca and Alex Arias did a Sedano’s visit in Hialeah on Sunday. And Juan Pierre did a Black History Month presentation at Poinciana Park Elementary on Monday morning.
Other events this week include a Doral Meadow Park field day at 6 p.m. Tuesday, a Seminole Hard Rock Visit on Wednesday, events at UHealth Farmers Market (noon) and Burgerlicious (7 p.m.), both in Coral Gables, on Thursday, and visits to PNC Brickell (11 a.m.) and Miccosukee Resort (6 p.m.) on Friday.
Fan fest will take place at loanDepot park on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free and will include player meet and greets, interactive games and behind the scenes tours of the ballpark, among other activities.
Season giveaways
The Marlins on Monday announced their promotional giveaways for the 2023 season, which marks the 30th anniversary of the inaugural season and 20th anniversary of the 2003 World Series title.
Among the highlights: A Sandy Alcantara bobblehead on June 25 and two other to-be-determined bobbleheads on July 9 and Aug. 27; a short-sleeve hoodie honoring the team’s two World Series teams on April 16; a Jeff Conine mystery jersey on June 4; and a 2003 replica championship ring on Aug. 2.
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